First drive: 2014 Audi R8

2014 Audi R8.

Audi

2014 Audi R8.

Audi

2014 Audi R8.

Audi

2014 Audi R8.

Audi

2014 Audi R8.

Audi

2014 Audi R8.

Audi

By John LeBlanc, Postmedia News

Originally published: November 1, 2012

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Rimini, Italy — If you are of a certain vintage, a supercar such as the wedge-on-wheels Lamborghini Countach or race car-in-drag Ferrari F40 may have adorned your teenage bedroom walls in poster format — but certainly not an Audi.

When supercars such as the Countach owned the hearts of enthusiasts in the 1980s, Audi was better known as a maker of cigar-shaped sedans. Sure, there were the now-legendary Quattro rally cars. But they were cultish things, not poster-worthy objects of teenage automotive lust. However, since the arrival of the two-seat, mid-engined R8 in 2006 (preceded by the LeMans show car three years earlier), contemporary teens have had to make room on their walls for a supercar from Ingolstadt for the first time. And now, seven years later, the R8 is getting its first major refresh.

Set to arrive in Canada next spring as a 2014 model, the redone Audi supercar retains its basic, kiss-the-ground looks. New LED headlights and tail lights are now standard on both eight- and 10-cylinder Coupe and Spyder cloth-top convertible models. And in the quest for less weight, a slew of new carbon fibre-reinforced plastic body bits and lightweight bucket seats and interior trim has been fitted.

The clickety-clack six-speed manual continues as the base transmission in the refreshed R8 V8 Coupe and Spyder. But the biggest improvement to the 2014 R8 line is a new, seven-speed dual-clutch S tronic automatic. Optional on R8 V8 and standard on the R8 V10 Coupe and Spyder, the S tronic replaces the agricultural R tronic autobox that originated from the R8’s sister model, the Lamborghini Gallardo.

While shift-it-for-yourself fetishists will demand the stick, utilizing the S tronic’s launch control makes all R8s quicker. Mated to a 4.2-litre eight- cylinder with 430 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque, the R8 V8 Coupe takes only 4.3 seconds to do the zero-to-100-kilometres-an-hour run, which is 0.3 seconds swifter than the outgoing R tronic. Fuel economy improves, too, down 0.9 litres per 100 km on average.

The updated R8 V10 Coupe (mit S tronic) sees similar performance gains. With 525 hp and 391 lb-ft on tap from its 5.2L 10-cylinder, it gets to 100 km/h from rest in only 3.6 seconds, and it can go 14 km/h faster than the R8 V8’s 300-km/h top speed.

While the freshened R8’s new autobox is noteworthy, a new top-line model arrives, too. With just 10 hp less than the current 560-hp V10 GT, the V10 Plus arrives with 550 hp but the same 398 lb-ft rating. With S tronic, it shaves one-tenth of a second off the “regular” V10 Coupe’s zero-to-100-km/h time.

In addition to the hopped-up engine, the new R8 V10 Plus (it may end up being called V10 Dynamic in Canada) gets carbon ceramic brakes, revised front-suspension geometry, uprated springs and firmer shocks as standard kit. Audi is also bragging that the flagship R8 weighs about 50 kilograms less compared with the R8 V10 Coupe upon which it’s based.

(Audi has us driving Euro-spec R8s here in Italy. So all the above specs may differ once the Canadian models arrive. Same goes for starting prices, which, today, range from the $134,00 R8 V8 Coupe to the $242,000 GT V10 Spyder.)

Compared with its $260,000 Gallardo LP 560-4 sibling, the R8 has always been a supercar you could actually drive every day with few compromises. Beyond its rear-biased quattro all-wheel-drive system, the Audi offers a slightly larger cabin and a more forgiving overall ride quality than the Lambo. And after an afternoon driving in the rain on Adriatic coastal roads and the Misano race circuit, just outside Rimini, Italy, I’m happy to report that, despite some suspension changes, Audi hasn’t messed with the R8’s confidence-inspiring ride and handling.

As per the original, the new R8’s on-road handling leans toward understeer. But when you press on, the car can be coaxed into gentle four-wheel drifts with a snatch of its steering wheel, requisite tap on the brakes and mandatory stomp on its accelerator. As before, the more playful and agile R8 on public roads is the base V8. It steers, brakes and turns a wee bit sharper than the more powerful V10 versions. But I’m talking by only small degrees here.

The one advantage the R8 V10 Plus has is its standard magneto-rheological shock system. On public roads, it absorbs pavement irregularities better than the passively suspended V8 models. And when pushed, it allows for a flatter, more controlled cornering attitude. In a performance driving environment such as here at the Misano track, the R8 V10 Plus is worth the extra dough.

Whatever new 2014 R8 you’re lusting for, it’s the type of car Audi fans could only dream of a quarter-century ago. Not only does the R8 retain the brand’s reputation for bedroom poster-quality styling, stellar interiors and four-season roadworthiness, the Audi two-seater continues to bring supercar ownership to the masses.